A 27-year-old man is beginning a custodial sentence after hurling racial abuse at two men at a petrol station before taking a knife to the tyres of vehicles parked on the forecourt.
The incident took place at a BP-branded MFG filling station on Lynn Road in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, on October 8, last year when the site was temporarily closed for refuelling.
Lewis Marsh, of no fixed abode, entered the forecourt shop and immediately began to verbally abuse two men, before walking out onto the forecourt, drawing a knife and attempting to slash the tyres of an HGV.
Having failed in that endeavour Marsh walked over to a van parked at the site and successfully slashed its tyres, then left the forecourt and watched the van driver return to his vehicle and observe the damage, before returning to the scene of the crime and denying any wrongdoing.
Officers from Cambridgeshire constabulary identified and arrested Marsh three days later in Wisbech, finding a folding lock knife upon searching his person.
Marsh admitted one count of criminal damage but denied racially aggravated criminal damage, using abusive words to cause harassment, alarm or distress, and two counts of possession of a knife in public.
A year to the day after the incident took place Peterborough Magistrates’ Court found Marsh guilty of those other crimes, and he was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment.
PC Copeland from Cambridgeshire Police commented: “Marsh’s behaviour was completely unacceptable and totally unprovoked.
“The victims were just going about their day when he decided to verbally abuse them and damage their property, seemingly completely at random.
“I’m pleased he was identified, apprehended and has now faced justice for his actions.”
